WASHINGTON – The House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO’s mutual defense pact.
Lawmakers passed the measure Tuesday, 423-4, roughly a month after President Donald Trump failed to explicitly state his support for Article 5 during a visit to NATO headquarters. Article 5 is the alliance’s “one for all, all for one” agreement. Trump did eventually back the collective defense accord.
Today lawmakers from both parties came together to urge our allies to meet their @NATO defense spending obligations. https://t.co/W8ild2H45H pic.twitter.com/n1oBx0EbfJ
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 27, 2017
House Speaker Paul Ryan sponsored the resolution, which was also backed by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
The resolution also voices strong support for a decision made at a NATO summit in 2014 calling for each member to spend at least 2 percent of its nation’s gross domestic product on defense by 2024.
Trump lectured NATO members about increasing their defense spending.
RICHARD LARDNER
